THE CHAPEL WARS

Age Range: 14 - 18

Pub Date: May 6th, 2014ISBN: 978-1-59990-788-8Publisher: Bloomsbury

A teen struggles with loss and love in Las Vegas.

The death of her Grandpa Jim sends Holly reeling—not just because she misses him greatly, but because he’s also left her the Las Vegas wedding chapel they both loved. The Rose of Sharon Wedding Chapel employs Holly’s family and friends, but it’s on the verge of foreclosure if they can’t make a lot of money, fast. That means compromising Grandpa Jim’s values and making friends with the grandson of archenemy Victor Cranston, owner of the wedding chapel next door. Dax Cranston is different from his grandfather, and Holly finds herself falling for him. But with the chapel to save, grieving for her grandpa, dealing with her newly divorced parents and angry younger brother, and making time for school and her group of guy friends, Holly’s got a lot to juggle. It might come down to a choice: saving the chapel or being with Dax. Although the threads of the various stories come together, there’s just too much going on in this novel. Most characters come off as tropes instead of people, and nothing is explored deeply enough to offer new or interesting perspectives for readers to ponder.